VS5 Episode 04 Shockwave Part One
by andrewjameswilliams
Summary: Abby Franklin's broadcast begins to create shockwaves around the world. Meanwhile Da'an and Liam learn a little bit more about what motivates Sandoval and Augur discovers Renee's fate.


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Shockwave Part One

Hubble Urick starred in silent horror at the sight of Da'an on one of his desk screens. The fact that some of the Taelons had survived the pyroclastic fury of Mount Karmenikov at all and were apparently back on board their mothership was bad news for the Atlantic National Alliance – but the fact that Da'an was amongst them and was in fact _leading_ them compounded that bad news.

When he had been a member of Thompson's cabinet he had to deal with a number of Taelons – from Eu'sa the Companion to the United Nations to Zo'or himself, but the one Taelon he had been required to deal with the most had been Da'an. And of all the Taelons he had dealt with over the last seven years Hubble knew that Da'an was by far the most dangerous. But dangerous in a different way to Zo'or – who'd been an outright tyrant. Da'an was dangerous in a much more insidious way. For Da'an was the one Taelon who had the knack for wrapping Humanity around his little finger. Zo'or was easy to vilify - since he had nothing but contempt for the Human race, something that he and the ANA had taken full advantage of - but Da'an was a different story. 

Da'an liked and respected Humanity and in doing so the charismatic North American Companion had earned Human respect, friendship and loyalty in return. And if any Taelon could use these disastrous and truthful revelations being put out by Abby Franklin, to gather public support back to the Taelons then it was Da'an. Quickly Hubble increased the volume on the desk speakers to hear whatever the Taelon was going to say.

Da'an was quiet for several moments then he began to speak in the familiar melodic voice of his that was always so appealing.

"People of Earth," Da'an began. "It is a pleasure for me to address you again. I speak to you now not as the North American Companion but as the newly appointed leader of the Synod - our prior leader Zo'or embraced the void during the rejoining procedure with the Jaridians. But his sacrifice was not in vain - for the first time in two millennia the Taelon and Jaridian races can look towards the future with a sense of hope, without the terrifying spectre of extinction that has been haunting us for so long. However we are sad that such a joyous event has been overshadowed by the terrible events of the past few weeks.

"Upon our return to the mothership from Ma'el's chamber we were shocked and horrified to find that during our absence certain elements amongst you - in an act of pure unmitigated cowardice - fired thermonuclear missiles at the mothership in an attempted act of genocide. As a sovereign people we would be well within our rights to consider this cowardly assault upon our vessel an act of war. But let me assure you that we do not consider the assault a declaration of war against the Taelon race for we know that those who ordered and carried out the attack we're acting only in support of their own desires for power. And we're not carrying out the will of you the people who they even now desire to manipulate and control. We hope that now that you know the truth of what they are doing that you will be able to deal with them according to your own laws.

"We freely admit the mistakes we have made in our past relations with your race. We acknowledge the fact that we many times lied to you, used you and exploited you. All I can say in our defence is that we were dying with more and more of us going into death stasis with every passing day without any real hope of ever coming out again and that our increasing desperation to save our race drove us to think and act in ways that under any other conditions would be unthinkable. To all of you who have been harmed by our actions both the Synod and I extend our deepest apologies and our deepest condolences to you and to the Human race in general. We hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive us. If you can forgive us then we humbly request that you allow us to stay on your world and to once more extend the hand of friendship to you. This time I can promise you their will be no lies, no deceptions, no hidden agendas, only friendship and equality. However if you wish it we will leave your world and never return unless you ask us to.

"Whatever you decide we Taelons will abide by your decision. It is my greatest hope that you can forgive us but if you cannot we will understand. Until you chose we will remain in orbit over our moonbase and will not interfere with your affairs in any way though we will consider any request for assistance favourably. We await your judgement. Until you do decide what you want then we say goodbye for now and good luck to you."

With that Da'an's image disappeared from the screen and Abby Franklin returned. Hubble lowered the volume back down to silent and turned to face the vidcom screen that still showed the image of President Thompson. Who was silently considering Da'an's words, words, which they could both tell, hadn't been false but which had been genuine and had come from Da'an's heart – not that a Taelon had a heart as Humans understood the term.

Finally after a few moments Thompson finally spoke.

"It appears that we have even bigger problems than we thought," Thompson said. "You know as well as I do Hubble that Da'an is by far the most dangerous Taelon we have ever known because of his ability to connect with the thoughts and feelings of all Humans."

"True if anyone can use Ms Franklin's revelations against us to gather support and sympathy back to the Companions," Hubble spat the term. _Companions more like overseers,_ he thought. "Then its him," he finished.

"Yes," Thompson agreed. "Come back here to Washington Hubble we have to work out what our next move is going to be. If we can make a move at all."

"In the meantime might I suggest that you declare a state of emergency," Hubble responded. "You know full well that there is going to be blood on the streets as a result of Ms Franklin's broadcast. We are going to need to contain it."

"It will only work here in the US," Thompson reminded him. "Canada, Britain and the other members of the ANA are going to have to manage on their own. But I do see your point. Very well I will do it – though I doubt we will have enough loyal troops to properly enforce it. But I still would like to see you."

"Very well I will leave here as soon as I am able," Hubble replied.

"Good," Thompson replied before signing off.

For a couple of moments Hubble just stared at the blank communications screen, then he leaned back in his comfortable leather seat and thought about what to do next. He had no idea how they were going to extricate themselves from this situation. _Damn you Augur for bringing this down upon us,_ he thought, _damn you Ms Franklin for putting this on the air. Damn you Da'an and you're blasted species for surviving Mount Karmenikov's eruption in the first place. What does it take to kill you? I will find away to destroy you. I will. And then you Augur are going to pay big time for what you have done. Same to you Ms Franklin, when I am done with you, you will wish for death._

After a moment Hubble stood up and went to see Williamson. He had some things to arrange before he went to see Thompson to try and find away out of this mess, if their was a way for them to get out and keep the ANA intact.

*****

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Medical Bay

Taelon Mothership, Same Time

Consciousness returned slowly to Ronald Sandoval. The very first thing he became aware of was the background sounds of the mothership, the faint distant throbbing of the power generators, the faint swish of the air recyclers and the soft energetic humm of energy flowing like water through the network of veins, conduits and channels that ran through every piece of bioslurry on the ship.

After what seemed like an age he felt that he was lying on what was probably a bed made out of bioslurry. From the foul taste in his mouth he could tell that he had been in a regeneration tank – possibly for quiet some time considering how horrendous the burns inflicted upon him by the radiation that had gotten through the motherships shields and hull had been.

Cautiously he opened his eyes and immediately shut them again with a groan of pain as the overhead light send sharp pulses of pain surging down his optic nerves. It was nothing compared to the pain the radiation poisoning caused as it slowly tore his cells apart – but that didn't mean he liked experiencing it. After a moment the pain faded then vanished altogether as his CVI belatedly caught up with what was going on and blocked the affected pain receptors in his brain.

Slowly he opened his eyes again and although things were blurry there was no pain this time. Within an eye blink his vision returned to normal thanks to that little bit of alien technology that had been in his head for the last seven years, the piece had taken away his old life and any real possibility of true happiness that he could have had. If someone had told him seven years ago what the Cyber Viral Implant would do to him then he would have told the Taelons to go to hell. _No what ifs Ronald,_ he told himself, _you know thinking about what could have beens only upsets you_.

Cautiously he tried to sit up and for his trouble got a minor electrostatic shock as he realised that there was a force field holding him down. _Guess I'm a prisoner then_, he thought, _what's Zo'or going to do to me this time?_ Though come to think of it he hadn't seen Zo'or on the bridge when he'd gotten their what had to be a few days ago now. Through the haze of pain that had enveloped him he had seen Kincaid, Da'an, Ja'tan, Mit'gai, Ba'or, Eu'sa and Na'en but no Zo'or. Had Zo'or been killed when he'd tried to regenerate alone or something? _Great if Zo'or's dead then that mean's that Da'an's going to be in charge. And I doubt he's forgotten how I tried to keep him addicted to real kryss not that synthetic stuff Dr Curzon and Kincaid came up with._

A figure appeared over him. It was Mit'gai.

"Ah good your awake at last," Mit'gai said as he ran a scanner over him.

"How long have I been out," Sandoval asked.

"You've been in regeneration for the better part of two days," Mit'gai replied as he read his scan results and smiled that ever-mysterious Taelon smile. "You're cells have been fully regenerated. There is no radiation present in your body at all. You do now run the risk of contracting one of several cancers and will have to have regular check ups for them. But other than that you are fine."

"Then why am I being held down like this," Sandoval asked already suspecting the answer.

"Da'an has ordered that you remain confined until the Synod decides what to do with you," Mit'gai answered. "You have betrayed us many times Agent Sandoval serving your own ends at the expense of both Humans and Taelons. Such betrayals would normally warrant a sentence of death. Yet at the end you saved our ship and our sleeping brethren from destruction at the hands of the Atlantic National Alliance. In doing so you have earned some mercy."

"The greatest mercy you could grant me would be to kill me," Sandoval snapped angrily. "Your kind took everything I ever loved away from me when you put the first CVI in my head. All you've ever done is hurt and use me. You wonder why I betrayed you? For revenge you took everything I was, everything I could ever be away from me. The reason I saved this ship was to save myself and to save my world from any future attack Taelon or Jaridian. I couldn't give a damn about your fate. Death is what you deserve for what you've done to me and to others of my kind." 

Mit'gai reeled back shocked by the angry tirade and the rage and hatred that he could see burning in Sandoval's eyes and at that moment finally realised just how badly they had hurt him, how badly at the end they had misused and betrayed his trust in them. Was the hatred of Ronald Sandoval and extremist Humans being in power the price they paid for their previous arrogance and the actions that their desperate fear of extinction had led them to do?

Not knowing what to say to the enraged Implant Mit'gai turned and walked away.

*****

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Da'an's Chambers

Da'an dismissed the datastream with a graceful wave of his hand. Together he and Liam had been watching Abby Franklin's broadcast. Now though that broadcast was coming to an end. Liam smiled to himself imagining the havoc that was going to erupt in the ANA hierarchy now that what they had been doing behind the general publics back was generally known. He imagined that it would cause Hubble Urick and the other senior members of the Atlantic National Alliance leadership considerable difficulties.

"Well now we have to wait and see what happens my friend," Da'an said softly.

"Yes. I know one thing however," Liam replied. Da'an inclined his head slightly and gave his protector and protégé a curious look.

"And what would that be," he asked. Liam smiled.

"That there is going to be absolute havoc in the ANA leadership over the truth getting out." A soft blush of personal energy rippled across Da'an's features only illuminating some of the energy pathways beneath his 'skin' – a subtle Taelon form of laughter.

"I imagine that there would be," Da'an agreed then added in an ironic tone. "It will be nice for the ANA to be on the receiving end of a scandal for a change. Perhaps you can answer me Liam as to why Humans find a scandal to be so irresistible." Liam shrugged his broad shoulders.

"You're asking the wrong person Da'an," he replied. "I've never understood it either. I guess it's probably because people enjoy watching the mighty fall. I don't know. Scandal is one of those few aspects of Human behaviour that I've never understood. Maybe because it's as alien to me as it is to you." 

Da'an knew what Liam meant by that. Though until very recently Liam had never really shown that there were some aspects of Human behaviour that he being at the end of the day a Kimera hybrid didn't understand. But now that Liam had finally accepted what and who he was then maybe they would talk more often about it. Da'an just wondered how long it would be before his brethren caught on to the fact that Liam wasn't quiet what he appeared to be. With the Commonality getting stronger with each passing hour it was only a matter of time until his partial link to it was discovered.

"I am glad that you finally seem to be accepting who you are Liam," he said softly.

"Tell you what Da'an so am I," Liam replied. 

The datastream abruptly chimed for attention. Da'an waved it on and the holographic image of Mit'gai appeared.

"Yes Mit'gai what is it," Da'an asked.

"Da'an Agent Sandoval has regained consciousness." Liam was sure that he heard a tone of guilt in Mit'gai's voice about Sandoval. Had Mit'gai been in some sort of verbal altercation with the Implant? Maybe somehow learned some of what motivated Sandoval to do what he had done.

"Very well thank you for informing me. I will be there shortly." Mit'gai nodded and Da'an waved away the datastream before standing up.

"Come with me Liam we have to speak to Sandoval to decide what we should do with him while the Synod decides his fate." Da'an personally was not looking forward to this meeting with his former Implant who had been _borrowed_ but never returned by Zo'or a few years ago. What Liam had said to him just after they'd come into this room about what motivated Sandoval to do such bad things had given him pause for thought. It was true that they had betrayed Sandoval, had lied to him, used and manipulated him for their own purposes. Was it wrong not to expect the angry embittered Sandoval to betray and use them in return?

Liam followed Da'an out of his chambers towards the medical bay. As he walked Liam couldn't help but wonder what would happen next to Sandoval. Was he forever going to be in contention with his only living parent? He knew that there was too much bad blood between him and Sandoval for them to really have a parental relationship – but maybe they could at least be friends. Liam was willing to try to be Sandoval's friend; the question was however was Sandoval willing to his friend. Liam hoped he was but if Sandoval still wanted to be an enemy then Liam would with great reluctance oblige him.

*****

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Medical Bay

A Few Minutes Later

Ronald Sandoval paced quietly around the bed that he had been lying on. Shortly after his little tirade Mit'gai had returned and without speaking disengaged the force field that had held him down before retreating and erecting another force field around the cubicle where his bed was located. Then Mit'gai had left again leaving him alone.

The sound of footsteps entering the medical bay caught his attention and he stopped his pacing and looked towards the door. In time to see Da'an accompanied as always by Liam Kincaid walk into the room.

"What do you want Da'an," he asked softly. "If you're coming to thank me for saving this ship don't bother. I didn't do it for you."

"I know. I know you have no reason to like us Agent Sandoval. But that still does not excuse your dealings with Vorjak. Why would you sell out your own people to the Jaridians?"

"The Jaridians were just a means. A means of getting revenge on you for the things that you've done. As for my own people why should I care about them? I'm a pariah to them because of your kind."

"I can understand why you hate us," Da'an replied. "And I am sorry for what we have done." Sandoval stared at the Taelon in shock and amazement. Had he heard right was Da'an actually _apologising_ for what the Taelons had done to him.

"Sorry is not good enough Da'an," he replied finally. "Sorry cannot give me my life back. The life your people took away when you implanted. Boone should have let me die when my first CVI broke down. Sorry cannot give me DeeDee back."

"You still love her," Liam asked.

"Yes," Sandoval admitted looking down trying to hide the tears that abruptly burned in his eyes and images of his life with DeeDee before he was implanted flashed through his head courtesy of the very thing that had taken her and his life away forever. "I don't know why after what she said at the ANA hearings. What she did. But I still love her. But…" he looked back up straight at Da'an and the Taelon was shocked to see tears actually streaking down Sandoval's cheeks. "I can never have her again because of you. You know I wish Boone hadn't found me that time my implant broke down. At least then I would have died knowing that she still cared about me." Sandoval took a deep breath and let it slowly trying to bring himself back under control. "Kill me if you want to Da'an. I've got nothing to live for. If you are truly sorry then prove it and let me die. I've got nothing to live for."

"What about your son," Liam asked softly aching inside to tell Sandoval the truth. "Have you ever considered how he feels?"

"How do you know about my son," Sandoval asked staring at his fellow protector in astonishment. "It doesn't matter either way. He is better off not knowing me." _Oh dad if only you knew the truth,_ Liam thought, _if only you knew how much part of me wishes to know you the real you. The man you were and at heart the man that you still are._

(Can we leave here Da'an,) he telepathically asked Da'an. (Before I say something that I shouldn't.)

(Of course Liam,) Da'an replied knowing full well that Sandoval's words were upsetting the young hybrid. He could tell how desperately Liam wanted to tell Sandoval the truth and knew that if they didn't stop this conversation with Sandoval now then Liam probably would end up telling him the truth now before the time was right.

"I am afraid Agent Sandoval," he said out loud. "That I cannot allow you to die until the Synod has decided what to do with you. But know this I am truly sorry for what we have done to you, it was never my intention or my wish for you or any other Human to be hurt. Come Liam." With that Da'an turned and walked away with Liam hot on his heels.

Sandoval stood watching Da'an and Kincaid leave. Before Da'an had spoken again he'd seen something in Kincaid's eyes. Something that was almost like sadness mixed with longing as if Kincaid knew something that he desperately wanted to tell but couldn't for some reason. What that something was he didn't know for sure but he somehow knew that it had something to do with that son he had never seen.

Then he sighed at sat down on the end of the bed as more images of his life with DeeDee before his implantation began to flash through his minds eye, but mixing in with the hateful words that DeeDee had spoken at his ANA trial. As he heard those words the raw emotion that he'd felt at the time but hidden behind his Implant mask came back with its full force and for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime he started to cry as all the pain and sorrow refused to stay buried anymore.

*****

Outside the medical bay Liam almost immediately rested against the bulkhead as the emotions stirred up by Sandoval's words threatened to burst through his emotional control. Da'an watched in concern as Liam took a couple of deep breaths as he leaned against the glowing wall. Then finally Liam stood back upright and they once again started moving. He didn't say anything to Liam since there was nothing that he really could say – so instead he just lent silent support to the young hybrid, who had already seen and been through so much, had lost and gained so much in his short life. _I do wish we could give him a family to belong to,_ Da'an thought, _Liam does need family so much. But of all the things I could give him that is the one that is beyond my ability._

They walked in silence to the bridge.

*****

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Augur's Lair

Augur had paid little attention to Abby Franklin's broadcast - though he wasn't surprised that Liam had chosen her to be the one to get the information they'd uncovered out, Liam liked her and trusted her as far as it was possible to trust a reporter. And Augur had to admit that Abby had earned the trust Liam gave her - she could have revealed that he was a hybrid to the whole world after the hijacking incident with the Jaridian replicant when she'd seen him fire his shaqarava. But she hadn't - she'd kept that part secret. Most reporters Augur knew wouldn't have hesitated to reveal that truth, but Abby hadn't simply because Liam had asked her to keep the truth about him secret.

The reason why he had paid little attention to Abby's report was because he was once more delving into the ANA's database - with newly improved icebreaker programs so that the hypersensitive guarding programs around the most sensitive parts of the database would not detect him this time. He was looking for information on the fate of Renee. Though he suspected what had happened to her it was important to him that he learn what had really happened. And it would be even more important to Liam to learn what had happened to Renee for it had been obvious for months - to Augur at least - that Liam was actually in love with her and that Renee was in love with him.

After a few more minutes of searching through the ANA database his latest hologram pixeled into existence in her tube.

"Honey I've found the records for Renee Palmer," the hologram stated calmly.

"Show me," Augur ordered. The information appeared on his screens. It was as bad as he'd feared. Renee was being held at the ANA detention facility in the Cascades Mountains and was being repeatedly tortured for information though the file didn't say what the information the ANA was after was. She hadn't broken yet but her torturers believed that she would break soon. As he read the details of her torture Augur literally saw red. Hubble's interrogators were really going all out on Renee for some reason. They tortured her repeatedly with a mixture of physical and mental torture. They denied her even basic sustenance in her cell - she was only given water and that was it, and they frequently interrupted her sleep. Renee was a very strong willed resilient woman but the torture she was currently going through would be slowly wearing down her defences, it wasn't a question of if she would eventually break but a question of when.

After a few moments Augur closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath to get himself back under control when what he really wanted to do was punch the living daylights out of Hubble Urick. Opening his eyes Augur went back to the computer and pulled out of the ANA's database before calling up his private communications listing – which only a few people like Liam had access to – and called Liam's number.

*****

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Taelon Mothership

Liam Kincaid was in his small sleeping quarters onboard the Taelon mothership – like all protectors he had private sleeping chambers on board though he had rarely used them. This time though Da'an had insisted that he use them the Taelons rational had been that going to his own apartment on Earth would be just to dangerous considering the way the ANA was behaving. Liam had to agree – much as he would like to go home he couldn't at this time, now that they knew that the Taelons had survived the ANA would be looking for him. Even though the ANA had its hands full dealing with the consequences of Abby's broadcast. Still they would grab him if given the chance – and since it wouldn't take them long to discover that he was a hybrid he wouldn't like the consequences.

Now Liam stood in the privacy of his private chambers – which incidentally were just down the corridor from Da'an's own chambers. He hadn't been able to get to sleep even though he had been awake for nearly sixty hours – he was worried about Renee, he knew somehow that the torture she would be going through would be worse than what most of the ANA prisoners were going through. Renee would be one of their prise catches – along with the Implants and Volunteer commanders, though many of those had scattered and were leading the ANA arrest teams on a merry dance while using Taelon tech to protect themselves. Several Volunteer units had already returned to the mothership after hearing that the Taelons were back – they'd used the few shuttles still on planet to get back to the mothership and were once again helping the Taelons run the ship. Which freed up more Taelons to assist in the revival of their fellows. The worst of the stasis bound Taelons would take a few more days of careful progressively larger energy transfers to awaken.

The sudden bleeping of his global startled Liam out of the Tai Chi movements he had been making to calm himself enough to try and get some sleep. Liam sighed. _Now what,_ he thought as he moved over to the global which was still clipped to the belt of his jeans – which were slung over the back of the chair with his shirt, he wasn't wearing anything bar his boxer shorts at the moment. Retrieving the offending object Liam flipped it open to see Augur's face on the screen. Augur looked momentarily surprised at his scantly clad appearance.

"Sorry Liam did I wake you up," the cyber wizard asked apologetically.

"Actually you didn't. I was just doing some Tai Chi to calm myself before going to sleep. What's up?"

"Well I've been going through the ANA's database again," Augur said. "It didn't take me long to modify my search programs to avoid being detected again. I've found information on Renee Liam."

"How bad is it?"

"Bad," Augur replied anger blazing in his eyes. "Liam they're torturing her almost constantly not just physically but psychologically as well." Quickly Augur outlined the torture Renee was being subjected to – though he left out some of the more graphic details. Augur knew full well that Liam would be angered enough just hearing the general details – if he knew everything then he'd go off like the volcano he and the Taelons had so recently left.

"Get into that database again Augur," Liam growled anger blazing in his eyes. "And shut down the ANA security network. I don't care what I have to do I'm going to get her out of their." Augur shook his head.

"Liam that place is guarded heavier than Fort Knox," Augur responded. "You wouldn't get through their security."

"I cannot just leave her their Augur."

"I know. I know. I feel the same but we cannot rush into this kind of operation. Liam I know it's hard but we have to think this through logically." Liam glowered and felt his shaqarava itch like crazy – wanting to activate in response to the anger welling up inside of him. Despite his anger Liam knew that Augur was right. He couldn't charge to Renee's rescue without a plan.

"Your right," he admitted after a moment. "Start working on a plan to get her out of there. I wouldn't put it past Hubble to start killing his prisoners now that the truth is known – just to destroy potential evidence against him." Augur nodded. "Let me know when your ready," Liam finished. Augur nodded again and broke the signal.

Liam stared at the inactive global for a moment before putting it down. _Damn you Hubble,_ he thought angrily, _If you kill Renee then no matter what I'll kill you painfully and slowly. This I swear._ For a moment Liam's emotions got the better of him and with a howl of rage he slammed a fist down hard on the bioslurry table. Had he been fully Human the blow would have shattered his fist but with his hybrid strength behind the blow his fist punched right through the tabletop.

*****

Bridge

Da'an suddenly sensed that something was wrong with Liam. Concentrating on the bond between him and the young Kimera hybrid he became aware of the tempestuous emotions raging in his protector, anger, fear, concern, hatred. Concerned Da'an stood up from the command chair and left the bridge. One of the few recently returned Volunteers stepped forward to escort him but Da'an waved the Volunteer off. The Volunteer returned to his station as Da'an left the bridge.

A few moments later he was standing outside the entrance to his protectors chambers. He paused for a few seconds not sure if he should go in. Though relations between him and Liam had improved recently they still weren't as close as they'd once been, before Da'an had been forced by political necessity to betray Liam's trust and set a trap that had wiped out a large portion of the Liberation leadership. In retrospect Da'an now saw that in doing that he'd not only lost Liam's trust but had strengthened the extremist sections of the resistance which had previously been reigned in by the more moderate mainstream Liberation – which had been almost completely wiped out by his action – and had enable the extremists to rise to their current level of power. Maybe if he hadn't betrayed Liam nearly two years ago then the Atlantic National Alliance might have never existed – or at least been very different to the brutal, ruthlessly totalitarian, xenophobic thing that it was right now.

Da'an shook off those thoughts – it wouldn't do him any good to dwell on the past or on what might have beens. No he was here because he knew that something was wrong with Liam – he sensed that the hybrid was in pain and he wanted to help if he could, if Liam would let him help.

Without further hesitation he reached out and pressed the door summoner. There was no reply.

With growing concern Da'an keyed in the lock code – Liam had given it to him ages ago and Da'an knew that Liam had never bothered to change it. It was simply Liam's date of birth only converted into the Kimeran dating system. To guess the code one had to know three things one what exactly Liam's date of birth was in the Human dating system, two one had to know the Kimera dating system and three how to convert Human time to Kimera time. If you didn't know all of these three things then you would never guess the code. Few Taelons knew Kimera time or how to convert Human time to Kimera time and none bar Da'an knew what Liam's birthday was. Da'an only knew the code because Liam had taught it to him.

The door shield glowed and dissipated allowing Da'an access to Liam's quarters. As soon as he walked in Da'an saw Liam. The young hybrid was slumped on the floor his back against the side of the bed knee's drawn right up to his chest his forearms wrapped around them. Liam's head was down in his arms but even from here Da'an could see the way his broad shoulders were shaking and he could hear faint sobs. Liam was crying about something – what Da'an didn't know but he knew it to be something serious. Liam had great emotional control – he'd inherited some from Sandoval the rest he'd developed himself out of necessity – it took a lot to reduce him to tears. Da'an could only recall one time before when he'd seen Liam cry and that was just after the death of his mother Lieutenant Siobhan Beckett. Da'an supposed that Liam had cried when Lili Marquette had 'died' but he wasn't sure.

Da'an quickly closed the door shield again and walked up to the young hybrid.

"Liam," he said concerned. Liam stirred at the sound of his voice and looked up. Sure enough tears were running from his green eyes to form silvery rivers on his cheeks. "What is wrong," Da'an asked.

Rather than answer in words Liam simply looked at Da'an with puffy tear filled eyes and held out his hand palm out. Da'an placed his palm against Liam's and Liam immediately initiated a sharing.

The sudden deluge of emotions almost overwhelmed Da'an. He'd experienced the power of Human emotions before – but even the experience with Richard Palmer didn't prepare Da'an for the sudden deluge and raw power of Liam's emotions. Pushing past the emotions refusing to let them overwhelm him Da'an probed the thoughts behind them, and abruptly understood.

Liam was in love with Renee Palmer. And Renee was currently a prisoner of the Atlantic National Alliance and being repeatedly tortured physically and mentally though Liam didn't know any real details – Augur hadn't told him. Just learning that Renee was being tortured at the behest of Hubble Urick had been enough to fill Liam with horror, anger, hatred and fear. Horror that Renee was being tortured, anger at Hubble Urick for ordering Renee's torture, hatred for Hubble Urick for the same reason, and fear that he might never see Renee alive again might never get the chance to tell her how he really felt about her.

Da'an gently tried his best to silently reassure Liam that everything would be all right – that he'd do everything in his power – which wasn't much at the moment – to help him get Renee back if that was at all possible.

Gently Da'an withdrew from the sharing and was surprised when Liam immediately threw his arms around him and buried his head in his shoulder still sobbing. Da'an paused unsure what to do for a second then he gently began stroking Liam's hair affectionately while sending soothing thoughts through the telepathic bond between him and the young hybrid whom Da'an considered his child if only in spirit and not in blood.

To be continued….


End file.
